Łódź Resident Card (Karta Łodzianina): How Foreigners Get It
Short answer: The Łódź card is free, but the 5 zł Resident Package activates it until 31 May next year. Foreigners apply online, in the app or at a service point with proof of Łódź tax or study.
The Łódź Resident Card (Karta Łodzianina) is the city's discount card for people who live and pay tax in Łódź. The card is free. What switches it on is the Resident Package (Pakiet Mieszkańca), which costs 5 zł and runs until 31 May of the next calendar year, according to the card's official FAQ. Foreigners can get it on the same terms as Poles if they can show one of the accepted documents, for example a tax return filed in Łódź. This guide uses the official card service at kartalodzianina.pl, the Łódź city office page and a University of Łódź guide for international staff. Partner offers change often, so check the current list before you rely on one.
What the card is, and what the package is
The FAQ is clear on one point that confuses many newcomers. The Karta Łodzianina, whether it is a plastic card or the Łódź.pl phone app, is only a carrier. On its own it is not active and does not give any discount. Buying the Resident Package activates it. The package is the bundle of all the basic discounts, and the card is how you show it.
- The card, in plastic or in the app, is free.
- The Resident Package costs 5 zł and is valid from the day you buy it to 31 May of the following year.
- You can use the app only, the plastic card only, or both at once.
- Each card has its own barcode and QR code, which the partner scans.
Because the package always ends on 31 May, a package bought in October gives you roughly seven months, and one bought in January gives you almost sixteen. The FAQ says you can apply at any time of year, and that you must apply again with your documents each time the package expires.
Who can get it
The card is built around people who are tied to Łódź through tax. The official list of accepted documents is long, and a foreigner will usually fit one of these:
- A tax return or tax form filed in Łódź for the previous year, such as PIT-11, PIT-36 or PIT-37, with proof that it was submitted. If you file online, the official receipt (UPO) is enough.
- If you moved to Łódź or started a job during the current tax year, the ZAP-3 form with proof that it reached the Łódź tax office, together with the first page of your work or service contract.
- If you started a business in Łódź this year, the CEIDG registration application that names the Łódź tax office.
- If you are a student or doctoral student at a Łódź university, a valid student or doctoral card with the ELS sticker, or a certificate from the dean's office.
- If you are an adult pupil of a Łódź secondary school, a current school ID or a school certificate.
- If you own property in Łódź, the property tax decision issued in the year you apply.
The same page lists more cases: pensioners, unemployed people registered with the Łódź labour office, carers, people with disabilities and farmers. A University of Łódź guide for international researchers says the applicant should be over 18, declare taxes in Łódź and have a PESEL number. If you do not have one yet, read how to get a PESEL number first. Because the rules turn on where your tax is settled, Poland's 183-day tax residence rule is useful background.
Children and family
Children of an eligible person can use the card too. The FAQ says a parent or legal guardian must apply for themselves first, because a child's application can only be approved on the adult's entitlement. Each child needs their own application and their own paid Resident Package, but no verification documents. The adult who opens a child's account becomes its administrator, and a child does not need an email address to be registered.
How to apply
There are three routes, all listed in the official FAQ.
1. Online at kartalodzianina.pl, with scans or clear photos of your documents. For an ID card or student card, upload both sides.
2. In the Łódź.pl app.
3. On paper at a service point. The main one is the Card Service Centre at ul. Piotrkowska 8. Others are the tourist information office at ul. Piotrkowska 28, an information point at Manufaktura, the information desk at Port Łódź and the box office at the Orientarium Zoo.
The city libraries also have computers where you can file an application, in a number of branches. In a library you apply electronically only, the staff member activates the package on the spot, and you can pay for the package in cash only. You must bring all your documents.
Online applications can take up to 10 working days, depending on how busy the service is. Applications at a service point are handled immediately. You pay the 5 zł for an online application by bank transfer from your account on the website. At a service point or library you pay on the spot, in cash.
If your application is rejected, the reason is shown in your account. Use the "correct application" button in the "Cards and packages" tab, and you do not have to pay again. If you cannot fix it, you get a full refund. To ask for one, email [email protected] from the address linked to your account, with the subject "Zwrot po nieudanej weryfikacji" and your name in the text.
What the discounts look like
The card works across many kinds of partners, from museums and sports facilities to restaurants, shops and medical practices. The official home page shows examples that are live at the time of writing:
- Zatoka Sportu, the Olympic-size pool: 30% off.
- EC1 Łódź, the science and culture centre: 20% off.
- Muzeum Kinematografii, the cinema museum: 3 zł off.
- Optimalab, a diagnostic laboratory: 15% off.
- FlixBus, the coach network, is also on the partner list.
Each partner sets its own offer, so the percentage, the conditions and the products covered can be different from one partner to the next. Read the partner's card page before you buy. This guide does not list transport ticket discounts, because the offers list is the only reliable source for them.
There are also two extra packages that sit next to the Resident Package. The Youth in Łódź package is free for students of Łódź universities up to 26 years old, and the Senior package is free for Łódź seniors. Both work only together with the Resident Package.
Lost or damaged card
If you lose your card, block it as soon as you can in the app or on the website, or report it by phone on +48 785 99 99 00 (the line is open on weekdays, 9:00 to 17:00). A duplicate of the plastic card is only issued at the Card Service Centre on Piotrkowska and costs 200% of the price of the Resident Package. You can also skip the plastic card and use the app only. The photo you add to your account can only be changed by service point staff, because it may later be used to identify you when tickets are sold.
Is it worth it?
At 5 zł, the package costs less than a coffee, and a single visit to a partner with a 20% or 30% offer can repay it. The effort is in the paperwork, not the price. The people who benefit most are the ones who already file a Polish tax return in Łódź, because they have the document ready and can usually get the package the same day at a service point. If you have just arrived and your tax situation is not settled yet, the ZAP-3 route is the one to ask about.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Łódź Resident Card cost?
The card itself is free. The Resident Package that activates it costs 5 zł, according to the official FAQ, and it is valid until 31 May of the next calendar year.
Can a foreigner get the Karta Łodzianina?
The official list is based on documents, not on citizenship. A foreigner who has a tax form filed in Łódź, a ZAP-3 form with a work contract, a Łódź business registration or a Łódź student card can use it as proof. A University of Łódź guide also mentions a PESEL number.
How long does it take to get the card?
An online application can take up to 10 working days. An application filed at a service point is handled immediately, and in a library the staff activate the package on the spot.
Do I need to renew it?
Yes. The package ends on 31 May of the next calendar year, and you must submit a new application with documents to renew it. The card itself has no expiry date.
Can my children use it?
Yes, but you must apply for yourself first. Each child needs a separate application and a paid 5 zł package, with no extra documents.
